PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree hopes hes setting himself up for a breakout second season.Dupree, the teams first-round draft pick in 2015, admittedly hit a wall during his rookie year, but hes working to change that this season. Not only does Dupree have a better understanding of the Steeler defense, he also dropped some weight and worked on techniques to improve his pass-rushing abilities.I just feel like Im way ahead of the curve than I was last year, Dupree said. Its just being more confident on the field.The Steelers used a rotation at outside linebacker last season between Dupree, 2013 first-round pick Jarvis Jones, Arthur Moats and 2008 Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison. Defensive coordinator Keith Butler hasnt said if the rotation will continue this season. Dupree is trying to make the decision easier.Im going to work for it, Dupree said. Im going to show them that I can be that guy on the field.Butler anticipates a significant jump from Dupree in his second season.I expect (Dupree) to be in the upper echelon of outside linebackers in the league, Butler said. Hes got work to do, but I think he can do that.Dupree has been nursing a sore groin during training camp, but he expects to be ready when the games count. Dupree focused on his conditioning in the offseason, shedding 20 pounds from his 6-foot-4 frame to weigh closer to 250 pounds now.That will help, Dupree said. I feel like I just wanted to be light for the conditioning aspect, so I can play a lot more plays. You can always keep getting in better shape from a conditioning aspect. Being heavy, I felt like I got tired more.He also worked on his pass-rushing moves. Dupree primarily relied on his speed at Kentucky where his 23.5 sacks rank second in school history. Dupree still believes speed is his best asset, but he spent time working on counter moves and improving his hands.Thats why Dupree took up boxing while training in Atlanta during the offseason.Boxing is a great way to improve hand speed, Dupree said. You always worry about hand speed and power. Its a big part of my game, so I needed that.Dupree started his rookie season strong with four sacks in his first eight games. He became the first NFL player since 2013 to record sacks in each of his first two NFL games and finished with the third-most by a Steelers rookie since LaMarr Woodley in 2007.But Dupree struggled after earning his first career start in Week 11 at Seattle. Dupree, who played in all 16 games and started five, finished the final 10 games, including the playoffs, without a sack.Dupree admitted that he felt like he hit a rookie wall. Butler saw it, too.A lot of times, if youre a rookie, at the most you play 12 or 13 games, Butler said. You never play 18 games. We played 23 games last year because we played five preseason games, so yeah, he hit a wall. But most rookies will because thats a lot of games for a young guy.Dupree expects to be better prepared his second time around.It was tough, just being in my first year, Dupree said. Now, I know what to expect.Game notes Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he was disappointed in running back LeVeon Bells three-game suspension for missing multiple drug tests, a violation of the leagues substance abuse policy. Roethlisberger, Bell and WR Antonio Brown, who were all held out of both preseason games, expressed desire to play Friday at New Orleans. . Guard Ramon Foster, the teams players union representative, suggested a work stoppage could happen when the current collective bargaining agreement expires in 2020, adding the players need to save money now. Columbus Blue Jackets Gear . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Markus Hannikainen Jersey . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. http://www.bluejacketsauthority.com/authentic-boone-jenner-blue-jackets-jersey/ . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. Brandon Dubinsky Jersey . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Zach Werenski Jersey . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. (STATS) -- There probably hasnt been a more overlooked team in the FCS than Cal Poly this season.No. 6 Montana knows plenty about the Mustangs.Cal Poly, sitting two spots outside the STATS FCS Top 25 this week, knocked off Montana for the third straight season on Saturday, this time 42-41 in a back-and-forth Big Sky Conference opener in San Luis Obispo, California.Running back Kyle Lewis was wide open when quarterback Dano Graves found him for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 4:29 remaining and Casey Sublette added the extra point, lifting Cal Poly (3-1, 1-0) from a 41-35 deficit.Thats what you give up against a very good option team, Montana coach Bob Stitt said. In order to stop em, youre going to give up some one-on-one situations.Montanas Tom Semenza missed a 48-yard field goal attempt with 1:55 to play.Cal Polys Joe Protheroe entered the game with a nation-leading 437 rushing yards, but Montana held the junior in check with 90 yards on 17 carries. But Graves surprised the Grizzlies (2-1, 0-1) by completing three of his six passes for touchdowns, including a 55-yarder to Protheroe. Graves added a rushing touchdown.The Mustangs were picked ninth in the two Big Sky preseason polls, but they have won at Missouri Valley Conference power South Dakota State and against defending Pioneer Football League co-champ San Diego in addition to Montana. Their lone defeat was at Nevada in overtime.Montana quarterback Brady Gustafson completed a program-record 47 passes in 59 attempts for 418 yards and two touchdowns, although he threw an interception and lost a fumble. Jerry Louie-McGee had 21 receptions -- another Griz record -- for 155 yards and the two touchdowns.---=STATS FCS TOP 25=No. 2 Sam Houston State (3-0, 2-0 Southland) 52, Houston Baptist (2-2, 1-2), 16Jeremiah Briscoe completed 26 of 47 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns, while Remus Bulmer (19 carries, 124 yards) and Javin Webb both scored twice on the ground.The Bearkats had a 632-370 advantage in yards.---=No. 3 Jacksonville State (3-1) 48, Liberty (1-3) 19Jacksonville State controlled the game behind All-America quarterback Eli Jenkins and running back Roc Thomas. Jenkins totaled 345 yards (224 passing, 121 rushing) and four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing), while Thomas had 180 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns.Josh Barge had a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter.---=No. 4 Eastern Washington (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky) 50, Northern Arizona (1-3, 0-1) 35EWU quarterback Gage Gubrud rebounded from a subpar game to go 35 of 56 for 392 yards and two touchdowns with 11 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown. Cooper Kupp (11 receptions, 111 yards) returned from a shoulder injury and joined Kendrick Bourne (six receptions, 100 yards) as 100-yard receivers.NAU quarterback Case Cookus was knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter. He passed for 245 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.---=No. 5 Chattanooga (4-0, 2-0 Southern) 41, Samford (2-1, 0-1) 21Chattanooga held the ball for 39 minutes, 18 seconds thanks to senior Derrick Craine rushing for 222 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. The Mocs defense limited Samford to 2 of 14 on third downs.---=No. 7 Richmond (3-1) 38, No. 23 Colgate (1-2) 31Richmonds Kyle Lauletta threw for four touchdowns and the Spiders picked off Colgates Jake Melville three times.Spiders freshman Xavier Goodall carried the ball 20 times for 127 yards and a touchdown, and Brian Brown had seven receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns. He set the schools all-time receiving yardage mark with 3,178 in his four-year career.---=Elon (2-2, 1-0 CAA) 27, No. 8 William & Mary (2-2, 0-1) 10William & Marys seven-game home winning streak ended as quarterback Steve Cluley threw three interceptions. Elons Malcolm Summers rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns.---=Indiana State (3-1, 1-0 Missouri Valley) 34, No. 9 Illinois State (2-2, 0-1) 31Illinois State lost for the second straight week as Indiana States Isaac Harker threw for two touchdowns and Roland Genesy rushed for a pair.It helped overcome Jake Kolbes three touchdown passes in the loss. All-America wide receiver Anthony Warrum (10 receptions, 151 yards) caught two of the touchdowns.dddddddddddd---=No. 11 James Madison (3-1, 1-0 CAA) 31, Maine (0-3, 0-1) 20Khladi Abdullah carried the ball 22 times for a career-high 172 yards and two touchdowns, including an 85-yarder, and Cardon Johnson finished with 110 yards on 13 carries, including a 52-yard TD. Johnsons score came on the fourth-quarter play following a Raven Greene interception -- JMUs third of the second half against Maine quarterback Dan Collins.---=No. 12 Charleston Southern (2-2, 1-0 Big South) 35, Monmouth (2-2, 0-1) 7Running back Mike Holloway scored on two long touchdowns to spark the visiting Buccaneers as they began defense of last years Big South title. He scored on a 75-yard run and finished with 151 yards on 11 carries, and caught a 63-yard touchdown from Steve Bucenell.---=No. 13 Western Illinois (3-0) 28, Northern Illinois (0-4) 23Western Illinois built a 28-7 lead after three quarters and held on to end a 15-game losing streak against FBS opponents. Five of the Leathernecks seven all-time FBS wins are against Northern Illinois.Leathernecks quarterback Sean McGuire passed for 315 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for a score.The win marked the fourth straight week in which a Missouri Valley Conference team defeated an FBS opponent, joining Northern Iowa (Iowa State), Illinois State (Northwestern) and North Dakota State (Iowa). Thats a single-season record for the MVFC.---=No. 17 Coastal Carolina (3-1) 41, Furman (0-4) 14Coastal scored touchdowns off a blocked field goal (Kenneth Daniels, 60 yards), a punt return (KyJon Tyler, 80 yards) and an interception (Alex Scearce, 31 yards).Running back DeAngelo Henderson (20 carries, 185 yards) scored on an 8-yard reception to extend his Division I record for consecutive games with a touchdown to 30.---=No. 18 Eastern Illinois (3-1, 1-0 OVC) 56, Austin Peay (0-3, 0-2) 35Eastern Illinois racked up 641 yards of offense as Devin Church and Christopher Anderson rushed for 139 and 129 yards, respectively, and scored two touchdowns each. Austin Green completed passes to 11 different receivers and was 24 of 30 for 263 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.---=No. 19 Villanova (3-1) 31, Lafayette (1-3) 14Villanova forced four turnovers, with defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon scoring off a 25-yard fumble return on the games first play and linebacker Jeff Steeb off a 45-yard interception return.---=Sacred Heart (4-0) 38, No. 20 Stony Brook (2-2) 10Northeast Conference member Sacred Heart earned a surprising win just one week after Stony Brook beat then-No. 2 Richmond 42-14.Three Stony Brook turnovers led to 17 Sacred Heart points. Pioneers quarterback R.J Noel had 260 total yards and three total touchdowns.---=No. 22 Albany (4-0) 20, Saint Francis (1-3) 9Albany scored 20 unanswered points in the second half after falling behind 9-0 on Saint Francis place-kicker Lance Geeseys three second-quarter field goals. Great Danes running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks worked to get 90 yards on 22 carries.The Great Danes are plus-13 in turnover margin after forcing four more against the Red Flash.---=No. 24 McNeese (2-2, 1-1 Southland) 42, Incarnate Word (1-3, 1-2) 35Defending Southland Conference champion McNeese built a 42-14 lead through three quarters in ending a two-game losing streak.Quarterback James Tabary set a school record with his fourth straight 200-yard passing game to start a season. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns.---=Southern Utah (2-1, 1-0 Big Sky) 45, No. 25 Portland State (1-3, 0-1) 31Portland State continued to unravel as its loss to defending Big Sky champion Southern Utah was its third straight.SUU forced five turnovers, including four interceptions of Vikings quarterback Alex Kuresa. 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